As a business owner, partner, or shareholder, you have spent a considerable amount of time ensuring that your business is profitable and has ample potential for growth. However, have you given enough consideration to how the business will (or won’t) run without you in the event of your passing or incapacitation? There are many estate planning tools that will enable you to ensure business can resume as usual, and your Read More
Tips For Establishing a Business With Friends or Family
As an entrepreneur, you likely surround yourself with interesting and equally innovative individuals who are excited at the prospect of a new business venture. However, there are several considerations to make since money tends to complicate even the closest of relationships. To preserve your friendships and future family reunions, there are simple steps you can take to avoid potential legal disputes. Business Read More
Transferring Ownership of Manufactured Homes
A simple bill of sale or agreement, even if in writing, will not be sufficient to transfer the title of ownership of a manufactured home. The Manufactured Housing Division of The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (“TDHCA”) regulates the manufactured housing industry in Texas, and TDHCA has its own requirements and forms that must be used. Clearing titles to manufactured homes can be a lengthy, and Read More
How Texas Homestead Laws Can Protect Your Inheritance
When your parent or spouse dies unexpectedly, the last thing you want to have to worry about is losing a home. Whether it’s your childhood home full of memories, or a newer property that has a mortgage, the Texas constitution has homestead protections to keep your inheritance safe and homes out of the hands of creditors. Depending on the types of liabilities your spouse or parents may have had, this law may be able Read More
Statute of Frauds in Real Estate Transactions
Chances are that you’ve completed a lot of informal transactions. Your friend offers to sell you their old car because your daughter just passed her driver’s test, so you shake hands on it. You may have also sold items on craigslist after a brief conversation over the phone. They meet you, money is exchanged, and that’s it. While oral contracts are generally enforceable, there are exceptions, especially where real Read More
Deeds – Importance of Having Appropriate Documentation
There are few things in life that are more exciting than purchasing a new piece of real estate. Whether it is a new home, a new business property, a new piece of vacation land, or anything else, it is critical that you do everything you can to ensure the purchase works out well for you. Unfortunately, many people let the excitement of the process cause them to lose focus and fail to do the necessary due diligence, Read More
What are the Fiduciary Responsibilities of an Executor?
When setting up your estate plan you will need to make a lot of decisions regarding what will happen to your assets after you are gone. One of the decisions that will have an immediate impact on how things are handled following your passing is naming an executor of your estate. This is the person (or firm) that is responsible for managing the assets of your estate. They will also be the ones to ensure all your assets Read More
Choosing Between a Will and Trust for Your Estate Plan
Creating an estate plan that works for you means choosing the right tools for the job. By determining the goals you would like your estate plan to achieve, you can much easier wade through the often confusing world of estate planning. While wills and trusts are both great ways to dispose of assets, they are different instruments with different purposes. In fact, you may use both in the same estate plan, depending on Read More
Ensure You’re Taking the Right Steps to Avoid Title Issues in Your Next Closing
Real estate is a very important purchase and one that should be done with caution. By ensuring that you have the right documentation in place, you can help to avoid many of the issues that could come up during your closing. Here’s what you need to know about title insurance and other steps you can take to avoid potential problems during your next real estate closing. The Importance of Documentation in a Real Estate Read More
The Ins and Outs of Choosing an Executor for Your Estate Plan
Choosing an executor for your estate plan isn’t an easy task - often, we’re inundated with emotions that tell us to pick the one who deserves it or the one who wants it most. Although you may be tempted to give the job to your closest loved one, picking an executor should be much more of a qualitative decision. The management and administration of your estate is a very important job, so you’ll need to choose the Read More